Ming Dynasty entry: I am Chongzhen, the greatest emperor of all time!

Chapter 90: If you kill me, I will repay you tenfold!
Since the defeat of 9,000 Mongol cavalry by 4,000 Qi Jiguang's army.

Daishan has been blocking Zhangjiakou from leaving.

He doesn't need to go out.

According to Dorgon's instructions, he only needed to tie down the main force of the Ming army in the north and create a sense of pressure.

Sixty thousand Eight Banner soldiers, over one hundred thousand Mongol cavalry, plus twenty thousand miscellaneous soldiers gathered from dozens of small tribes.

With a full 200,000 troops, regardless of their strength, no one would dare to ignore them once they were deployed.

Recently, Daišan has been spending his time drinking and enjoying dances with Mongolian nobles, living a very comfortable life.

He thought this was for the best. Based on the fighting strength of those four thousand elite soldiers from a few days ago, Daishan was less inclined to fight the Southern Dynasty emperor.

However, as Dorgon's order arrived, Daišan suddenly realized that he couldn't remain still.

Sitting in the central command tent, Dai Shan held a report in one hand and kept rubbing his temples with the other.

Lekedehun, Daishan's only surviving grandson, offered him a cup of tea. "Sagatamafa, why do you look so worried?"

Sagatamafa is a Manchu term for grandfather.

Seeing his last remaining bloodline, Daishan always indulged him rather leniently.

Both of his sons died young.

Since Huang Taiji's death last year, the Eight Banners have been embroiled in a fierce struggle for imperial power.

The line of Huang Taiji's sons, led by Hauge, united with nobles within the Eight Banners who wanted to develop according to the father-to-son succession model, and fought fiercely with Nurhaci's line, led by Hauge and Dorgon, almost coming to blows.

The eldest grandson of the Sun family clamored for Dorgon to be made emperor, and even won over a group of young and middle-aged men.

If it were to be exploited by the Hauge faction, the consequences would be unimaginable.

After discussing it with Dorgon, Daišan finally decided to push his brainless grandson forward.

As a result, Changsun was beheaded, and Lekedehun was also implicated and demoted to a commoner.

From then on, Daishan doted on his intelligent grandson.

Reaching out to take the teacup, Dai Shan sighed and couldn't help but say something.

"What do you think the fourteenth prince is really trying to do?!"

"Wasn't our plan to intercept the Southern reinforcements?"

"Why did you massacre a city?! And a large southern city at that, that's a full two hundred thousand people!"

"If things don't go smoothly in the north, it could very well turn the southerners' despair into strength, provoking a counterattack from them!"

"By then, let alone taking over Beizhili, it would be good enough if the fourteenth and fifteenth princes could return with two yellow and two white ones, all with their beards and tails intact!"

Upon hearing this, Lekedehun couldn't help but gape in astonishment, exclaiming, "How could Prince Rui, with his wisdom and resourcefulness, do such a thing?"

"That's right, the fifteenth prince is usually the most reliable, so why is he so impatient this time?" Dai Shan muttered to himself, frowning in confusion.

Dorgon's greatest strength was his composure. No matter how daring his plans seemed, he always had ample backup plans to prevent himself from getting into danger.

For example, the Southern Dynasty's decisive victory over the million-strong rebel army thwarted Dorgon's southward expansion plan.

However, he was still able to come up with a plan to divide his forces into four routes and fight simultaneously inside and outside the pass.

But after this massacre, he was given only one order.

"Go forth and fight the Southern Dynasty emperor with great fanfare. Do not seek victory. If necessary, besiege the Southern Dynasty emperor in Xuanfu. But under no circumstances should we lose. If we lose, the two yellow and two white flags will be in danger!"

The fact that Dorgon could issue such a death order means that the situation was extremely dangerous, and the slightest mistake could lead to total defeat.

But in Daishan's view, the situation is quite clear, isn't it?
He and Jirgalang had the northern army completely tied down.

Once Dorgon and Dodo have plundered Henan and Shandong, suppressed the southern reinforcements, and then turned north to occupy all the cities in Beizhili, the entire northern region will be under their control.

However, the fact that Dorgon sent such an urgent letter can only mean that there are aspects that Daishan has not yet seen.

Either...

Dorgon's goal was not the northern border!
But it's too late to say anything now. The main force of the Eight Banners has already penetrated deep into the heart of the Ming Dynasty. Even if Daishan didn't care about Dorgon, he still had to consider the future of the Eight Banners.

After downing the tea in one gulp, Dai Shan slammed his hand on the table.

His eyes became exceptionally sharp.

"Someone, summon the Taiji of each Mongol tribe and the Gushan Zhangjing of each banner to the tent for a meeting!"

"Lekedehun, take my three Jiala, raise my great banner, and challenge the Southern Army's camp. If it is any other soldier, you are allowed to win but not lose. If it is the Qi-character army from a few days ago, fight for half an hour, you are allowed to lose but not win, and then lead the defeated army straight to... Feihu Ridge!"

Lekedehun quickly bowed and saluted, "Yes, sir!"

Then he got up and left.

Although he was a commoner, he was still Daishan's grandson. There might be objections to him leading other Jiala Niru, but no one could say anything about him leading Daishan's direct Jiala.

As the tent became empty, Daishan rose from his chair and strode to the map.

The finger moved back and forth between Zhangjiakou, Yanghe, and Feihuling.

The Ming army had four thousand elite soldiers, which ordinary soldiers couldn't even scratch.

Apart from the two Red Banners which had nearly 20,000 elite troops, none of his other soldiers were a match for the soldiers bearing the Qi banner.

If we want to go into battle to confront the Southern Dynasty emperor, the first thing we need to do is to lure these four thousand soldiers away, or at the very least, to separate the Southern Dynasty emperor from the Qi army.

Only in this way could he dare to throw 100,000 Mongol cavalry into the battlefield and force the Southern Dynasty emperor back to Xuanfu.

……

the other side.

Zhu Youjian received the battle report from the south four hours earlier than Daishan.

Moreover, there were three copies, one for Gao Jie, one for Liu Liangzuo, and one for Zhou Wang.

The three battle reports differ, but they all describe the same fact.

Dorgon massacred Kaifeng, resulting in over 200,000 military and civilian casualties!

To be honest, whether it's Dorgon, Daišan, the Prince of Zhou, or Zhu Youjian, 200,000 words is just a number.

Even though Zhu Youjian, the future emperor, had seen many online accounts of the Yangzhou Massacre, the Jiading Massacre, and the dark period of history that followed, he still could not directly grasp the extent of the tragedy.

Especially now that Zhu Youjian is the emperor of a country with millions of subjects under his command, there are just too many things he needs to think about.

My first reaction upon learning of this was not anger, but rather consideration of how to use it.

For a moment, Zhu Youjian even wondered if he was being too cold-blooded.

Only then did he express his anger towards Dorgon and his disdain for Liu Liangzuo.

Liu Liangzuo's battle report stated that he was fighting to the death to defend the city and was determined to live and die with Kaifeng.

Unfortunately, his soldiers were not as strong as the Jurchens, and he only survived because of Gao Jie's rescue. He then asked Zhu Youjian to punish him for the loss of the city.

The fierce battle of the city defense, the bravery of the defending troops, and Liu Liangzuo's loyalty are all vividly and movingly depicted.

Having dealt with Ming Dynasty officials so many times, how could Zhu Youjian not see through this memorial that seemed to be a plea for forgiveness but was actually a request for merit?

If it weren't for the memorials from Gao Jie and Prince Zhou, Zhu Youjian might actually have believed Liu Liangzuo's memorial.

Liu Liangzuo thought too highly of people.

He thought Gao Jie would cover it up for him, after all, who wouldn't want meritorious service that came out of nowhere?

But who is Gao Jie?
That guy eloped with Li Zicheng's wife; he could only survive if the Ming Dynasty existed.

Kaifeng is only 400 li away from Luoyang, how could the King of Zhou possibly cover it up for them?

His family fortune was all in the Henan area. If he angered Zhu Youjian, he would really have nowhere to go.

Therefore, the battle report immediately stated that it was because the Jurchens attacked the city too quickly, taking advantage of the night to attack. Before he could gather his troops, Liu Liangzuo had already fled to Zhengzhou with his personal guards.

Fearing punishment from His Majesty, Liu Liangzuo wrote a false battle report, hoping His Majesty would investigate thoroughly.

Zhu Youjian had no good feelings towards these two military leaders.

If the situation weren't so dire that he couldn't spare the resources to eliminate them, Zhu Youjian would have already gone to gather his troops.

As for the memorial from the Prince of Zhou, it brought Zhu Youjian considerable comfort.

Regardless of King Zhou's abilities, he was at least wholeheartedly devoted to the country.

When Dorgon arrived in Henan, the Zhou king submitted a memorial stating that although his reinforcements could not get through, his own resources could.

He personally coordinated with Shi Kefa, who had over a million taels of silver and 20,000 shi of grain, to ensure the grain was transported north to the capital in the hope of helping Zhu Youjian.

Now, the process of the fall of Kaifeng has been described in detail, including his own faults for failing to provide adequate relief and for not daring to send troops.

It was also noted that the fall of Kaifeng had caused widespread panic throughout Henan, Huguang, and Southern Zhili provinces, with many families fleeing south. Furthermore, rumors were circulating about the administrative staff of the Nanjing imperial court.

We hope Zhu Youjian will take this seriously.

That really hit the nail on the head.

Zhu Youjian's biggest worry was that Dorgon would sweep away all the wealth in the south.

Even if it were only Southern Zhili and Henan Circuit, it would still be a huge loss.

Those are all his entries!
Moreover, according to King Zhou, the people in the south are in a state of panic. If Dorgon takes Luoyang and sails down the Yangtze River, there will be no more major cities to be found.

At that time, Dorgon will lead his army without even needing to attack the city. He can simply plant his flag wherever the city is, and the city will have to surrender.

Would Dorgon refuse silver given away for free?
Sitting in the main seat of the central command tent, Zhu Youjian, clad in golden armor, looked at Wang Jiayan.

What should be done about this?

Because he split the imperial court into two, he can now only discuss the matter with Wang Jiayan.

The latter had already prepared his answer in his mind and was just waiting for Zhu Youjian to ask him.

"Your Majesty, I believe that we should issue an edict to Zuo Liangyu to rush to the aid of the Prince of Zhou, and at the same time, order the garrisons along the river to burn down the bridges and boats, so as not to give the Jurchens a chance to advance south."

"Gao Jie is also rewarded for his truthful reporting, and Liu Liangzuo is to redeem himself through meritorious service, so that the two can focus on defending the city."

Upon hearing this, Zhu Youjian was extremely surprised.

It should be noted that within the imperial court, apart from Fan Jingwen, Wang Jiayan was the most rigid, viewing merits and demerits as separate matters and not allowing them to be confused.

Zhu Youjian truly did not expect that such a grave crime would be so lightly overlooked.

With a slightly unfriendly tone, he looked coldly at Wang Jiayan and said, "Then the 200,000 soldiers and civilians of Kaifeng Prefecture died in vain?"

The effect of the Tyrant modifier appeared suddenly.

For a moment, Wang Jiayan's heart skipped a beat.

But he still stubbornly insisted, gritting his teeth and declaring, "The hatred between the military and the people lies with the Jurchens. Even if Liu Liangzuo is guilty, he should not be punished now!"

"That's a 40,000-strong Jurchen army! If His Majesty punishes Liu Liangzuo severely now, the garrison commanders of various cities along the river will not only abandon their cities but also flee!"

Wang Jiayan's words were very clear: if you offend Liu Liangzuo now, then when Dorgon leads his army to the small town, the local generals will die whether they defend the city or flee. They will probably surrender.

But Zhu Youjian didn't think so. His experience in later generations told him that some things should not be opened and some things should not be vented.

"If we follow Wang Qing's logic, then the city will still be lost, the people will still die, and all that will be gained is a bunch of incompetent fools. Does Wang Qing really expect these incompetent fools to avenge the 200,000 people of Kaifeng Prefecture?!"

"Your subject..." Wang Jiayan wanted to retort, but Zhu Youjian suppressed him.

"Stop talking! I've said it before, the Han and the traitors are irreconcilable!"

"Those who abandon the city and flee are tantamount to colluding with the enemy, and are enemies of hundreds of millions of people in our Great Ming Dynasty!"

"Wang Banban?" Zhu Youjian called out to those behind him.

Wang Chengen immediately stepped forward.

Zhu Youjian didn't care whether Wang Chengen was ready or not, and spoke directly.

"By imperial decree, Liu Liangzuo, as the commander-in-chief, has handed over 200,000 soldiers and civilians in Kaifeng to the Jurchens for slaughter. He is a traitor to the country and an enemy of all the people. Everyone has the right to kill him!"

"This crime is obvious and does not require trial by the Ministry of Justice."

"Any Han soldier who sees Liu the Traitor may be beheaded. The merit of beheading Liu the Traitor is the same as beheading the enemy chief in battle! He shall be awarded the title of Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, which shall be hereditary and never be replaced. He may go to the local military command or the Ministry of War of the Northern and Southern Zhili regions to receive the reward!"

"Order the judicial commissioner in the area where Liu the traitor is registered to exterminate his three clans!"

"This decree is hereby promulgated throughout the land!"

Wang Jiayan never expected that Zhu Youjian would resolve the matter in this way.

Even those like Zu Dashou and Geng Mingzhong who defected to the Jurchens were not treated as traitors!

Moreover, he is a traitor to the country, as pointed out by His Majesty the Emperor himself.

This is a true case of killing someone by destroying their spirit!
I'm afraid Liu Liangzuo will be infamous for a thousand years after he dies!

It was a nightmare for all the literati of this era!
Wang Chengen wrote furiously.

Wang Jiayan stared blankly at the golden-armored figure in the main seat, his mind a jumbled mess.

Is Your Majesty truly not afraid of unrest in the south?

This decree effectively cut off any escape route for generals who wanted to surrender or abandon the city and flee.

After all, no one wants to bear a thousand years of infamy.

However, if that's the case, then surrendering to the Jurchens would become an even clearer path.

In order to survive, who knows how many people will surrender.

Just as he was thinking this, Zhu Youjian suddenly spoke, pulling him back to reality.

"Minister Wang, were there any loyal and righteous men in this battle?"

Wang Jiayan was stunned for a moment before quickly replying, "Yes, Your Majesty, yes."

"Zhang Shiqing, the prefect of Kaifeng, led seven hundred clerks to gather the routed soldiers and fought to the death at the west gate, allowing seven thousand civilians to escape. He later fought the bandits all night and died. The women in his family were abused and killed by the bandits. There were also a thousand households..."

“Very well, Wang Banban, issue another decree.” Zhu Youjian nodded.

"Zhang Shiqing, the prefect of Kaifeng, fought to the death and rescued seven thousand subjects from fire and water. He is truly a pillar of our nation and a hero of the Ming Dynasty. He is hereby awarded the plaque of First-Class Meritorious Official of the Ming Dynasty, posthumously granted the title of Earl of Yingyi, and buried to the left and right of the Shrine of Heroes. When Kaifeng is recovered, a monument shall be erected in his honor to commemorate his sacrifice to the people! He shall be worshipped by the Zhou royal family!"

"The remaining meritorious officials will be granted the plaque of Second-Class Meritorious Official of the Great Ming Dynasty, and their sons will all be appointed as commanders of the Embroidered Uniform Guard!"

Zhu Youjian understood from the moment he arrived that the Ming Dynasty was not yet on the verge of collapse.

What he had to do was to clean up the internal affairs of the Ming Dynasty.

Previously, military and political affairs were separated, just like now. Gao Jie and Liu Liangzuo could report directly to him, and he could also give orders to them directly, without having to go through military supervisors or the like.

Now is the perfect opportunity to purge the scoundrels from the military.

He deeply understood the saying: "Only those with soldiers have power."

Only by controlling a pure military can one begin to deal with the civil service.

The first requirement for a pure army is that it must not be afraid of fighting or dying, has no worries about the future, does not engage in any profession, and is solely dedicated to war.

Such an army should have a sense of honor.

A sense of honor is not something one earns oneself, but rather something that must be built by all people together.

In an era devoid of any means of propaganda, Zhu Youjian could only rely on his own appeal and the legal authority of his imperial edicts to force the people to know that soldiers had honor and were not mere common soldiers.

Then, we will gradually establish the values ​​of the world, so that soldiers and civilians alike will know them.

The purpose of soldiers is to protect the people.

The military will always be the strongest support for the people.

The things the military does are always for the good of the people.

Once this set of values ​​was established, the Ming Dynasty army gained a soul.

With the terrifying population base of the Central Plains, coupled with its still-advancing technological development.

Zhu Youjian was confident that he could build a British empire that would never set in the Ming Dynasty!
The system of meritorious officials and the shrine of heroes were the first steps in the army, and next, Zhu Youjian prepared to start the second step.

"Issue another decree to spread the news of the Kaifeng massacre throughout the world."

"I hereby declare the tenth day of the fourth month as the national day of mourning for the people of my Great Ming Dynasty. I, and all those below me, shall fast for one day to mourn the people who have died from foreign invasions since the time of the Yellow Emperor!"

"I swear to avenge the defeat at Kaifeng! The Han and the traitors cannot coexist, and the enemy is not yet dead!"

"All the million soldiers of the Great Ming shall heed my words: from this day forward, those who join the army shall not farm, and those in the military shall not engage in commerce. All military supplies shall be provided by the Ministry of Revenue!"

"From this day forward, the army of the Great Ming Dynasty shall only defend the people and protect the common folk, strike at traitors above and slay enemies below!"

"Throughout the heavens and throughout the world, all shall heed my words! Whoever slaughters me shall pay tenfold! Whoever humiliates my people shall never be forgotten!"

"Anyone who dares to disturb the people of my Great Ming Dynasty shall have their court plundered and their homes wiped out! Their able-bodied men and women and children slaughtered! Their descendants cut off, their state destroyed! Until they are completely annihilated!"

"Don't say you didn't predict what you said!"

His domineering and murderous words, coupled with the god-like enhancement of the tyrant title, left the eunuchs, close ministers, and guards in the tent stunned on the spot.

Wang Chengen was so infected that he could barely hold a pen.

Wang Jiayan suddenly knelt down on the ground, staring intently at Zhu Youjian.

At that moment, he seemed to see the First Emperor from the history books...

(End of this chapter)